Two Mirrors
by Lavender Flame
Summary: How Angelina and Alicia joined Dumbledore's Army, and how Professor McGonagall saw herself in a student.


**Author's Note: Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season Two, Round Two, as a Keeper for the Caerphilly Catapults, prompt "McGonagall scolding". Thank you for reading, and please review!**

* * *

_Two Mirrors_

_(How Angelina and Alicia joined Dumbledore's Army, and how Professor McGonagall saw herself in a student.)_

* * *

Professor Minerva McGonagall saw a lot of herself in Angelina Johnson. They were both Gryffindors, both leaders. Angelina too was competitive and hard-working, an excellent dueler and even Quidditch player, brave enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament.

So Professor McGonagall was surprised when Angelina appeared in (stormed into) her office while she was supposed to be in Professor Umbridge's seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.

"Miss Johnson, what are you doing here?"

"Umbridge kicked me out of class—said I was talking rubbish about You-Know-Who being back!"

Professor McGonagall sighed sharply and pinched the bridge of her nose just below her spectacles. "Sit down," she said.

"But that's ridiculous, isn't it?"

"_Sit down, _Miss Johnson." Angelina sat in the chair across the desk from Professor McGonagall. "I'm sure you're aware that this isn't the first complaint I've received about Professor Umbridge's beliefs."

"Really," Angelina scoffed, the one word dripping sarcasm.

"But,_ like it or not,_ she's still a professor, and so you should respect her."

"I respect _Peeves_ more than her!"

"Miss Johnson."

"Sorry," she mumbled, not sounding like it.

"How did this argument come up?"

"We were learning a defense spell and she just kept talking about how we'll never actually have to use it and so it's not important. And I said that we might have to use it to fight You-Know-Who."

"Were you supposed to respond to what she was saying?"

"Well… no." Angelina still bore a scowl. "But I couldn't just listen to her ramble on about the uselessness of a perfectly practical spell!"

"You _could _have. Your opinion on the spell doesn't change your learning of it."

"It does if it means we're not allowed to practice it!"

"Well, that's Professor Umbridge's opinion, not yours."

"Well, it's stupid!" Angelina jumped back to her feet.

"Sit _down,_ Miss Johnson, for the last time."

Angelina, folding her arms petulantly, did.

"You can't talk to your professors that way."

"She shouldn't even be a professor!'

"But she is, and you need to treat her as such." Angelina didn't have any arguments left, and so just tried to stare Professor McGonagall down. She lost. "Miss Johnson, I know that you know better than to argue with your professors, and that you're capable of acting maturely, which is what I expect of you."

"… Fine. What do you want me to say? I'll try harder to resist the urge to strangle her from now on?"

"Miss Johnson."

"Sorry," she repeated.

"I'll excuse you from her class for the rest of this period, and hopefully in the meantime you can get your temper under control."

"I'll try," Angelina muttered.

"You'll do it," said Professor McGonagall. "Run along, now."

"What? That's it? No detention, no lines?"

"Did you particularly _want_ to get detention?"

"Well, no. But I expected it."

"Go before I get tempted."

Angelina smiled for the first time in the conversation, and did leave. She headed back by the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom as the period ended, to tell Alicia about McGonagall's strange reaction. "Strange," was exactly what Alicia said. "Maybe she figured Umbridge'd get to you eventually."

"I don't think so," said Angelina.

"So she wants you to control your temper? Fat chance of that."

"I know, right?" After a beat, she said, "What about that club that Harry's been mentioning? What if we go? So we can actually get good at these spells Umbridge writes off?"

"Would it be worth it?"

"Yes," Angelina said flatly.

"Let's do it."

"Okay."

"Yeah."

"Great. I'll tell him we're really in."

They continued on through the hustle and bustle that was the Hogwarts halls, with the sounds of the staircases moving, of everyone talking and walking; the general warmth that seemed to emanate from the castle's walls by the stairs.

"What d'ya figure McGonagall would say if she knew about Harry's club?"

After a beat, Angelina said, "I figure that she'd want to join."

Alicia laughed. "Just like you."

"Just like us."

"Yeah. Just like us and everyone else. Maybe."

"What?"

"I dunno. She kinda reminds me of you."

"Hardly," Angelina replied, back to scoffing for at least the second time that day.

"Mmhmm."

"Whatever."

…

Professor Sprout had dropped by Professor McGonagall's office, and noticed that she seemed distracted. "Rough day with trouble makers, Minerva?" asked Professor Sprout.

"Not trouble makers, really," frowned Professor McGonagall. "Angelina Johnson was in here today, for disagreeing with Dolores."

"A Gryffindor disagreed with Dolores—now where have I heard that before?" Professor Sprout took on an odd tone for her.

"I know. Everyone does."

"I was talking about you."

"I was talking about Mr. Potter."

"Well, I suppose that proves your point."

Professor McGonagall sighed yet again. "If only most of the people who come through my office were as agreeable as you."

"Well it's all perfect, isn't it? You're so much like Angelina, and I remind myself of Alicia Spinnet, who I think is quite close to her."

"You love your theories."

"I do." She paused. "Try to not think of all these disagreements so much, Minerva. I have to be going for class. But don't stress yourself out."

"I won't."

"Yet I know you will." And Professor Sprout offered a small smile as she headed out the door.


End file.
